Abstract: The invention relates to a game simulating research and development of a product. The game may comprise a central board, function cards, form cards, a player board and HR Meeple. The central board may comprise an endless outside track. The game may comprise three phases. A concept phase may involve: creating a product requirements document; recoding the product requirements document; collecting starting resources; building an initial team; and assigning initial tasking. A development phase may comprise: following turn and round rules; completing player actions; and assigning HR units to a facility. A prototyping phase wherein a final product is made.

Abstract: A benchmarking tool generates reports for delivery to a merchant illustrating a performance of the merchant as compared to the performance of the merchant's peers. The performance is illustrated through metrics that algorithmically combine data on transactions of consumers with the merchant or its peers, respectively. The metrics may be further subdivided into consumer groups such as new consumers, consumers that have shopped within the merchant in the past, consumers that no longer shop within the merchant, or consumers that use a commercial account to pay for purchases. The reports may be rendered in a graphical display for use by the merchant.

Abstract: A benchmarking tool accesses a database comprising a plurality of transaction records, each of the records comprising transaction data on a purchase transaction. A first subset of the transaction records is determined that occur within a predetermined time period and are associated with a first merchant. A second subset of the transaction records is determined that occur within the predetermined time period and are associated with a merchant peer group. The first subset of transaction records are processed to determine a first metric for the first merchant. The second subset of transaction records are processed to determine a second metric for the merchant peer group. The first metric is compared to the second metric to indicate performance of the first merchant relative to performance of the merchant peer group.

Abstract: A benchmarking tool generates reports for delivery to a merchant illustrating a performance of the merchant as compared to the performance of the merchant's peers. The performance is illustrated through metrics that algorithmically combine data on transactions of consumers with the merchant or its peers, respectively. The metrics may be further subdivided into consumer groups such as new consumers, consumers that have shopped within the merchant in the past, consumers that no longer shop within the merchant, or consumers that use a commercial account to pay for purchases. The reports may be rendered in a graphical display for use by the merchant.